Director said:
You mentioend that earlier in the thread. I then proceeded to buy a recording of it. Very nice. :nod:
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You mentioend that earlier in the thread. I then proceeded to buy a recording of it. Very nice. :nod:
Oh, don't worry : I'm not too modest about that. I've reread my AAR recently in order to check the general flow and keep the ongoing storytelling consistant. I must confess that I rather liked what I've read.
Still, it cannot compare with some top notch stories around, among which is yours.Indeed. You already mentioned that aspect of things after Aron demise... The fact that Pheltros had already been under close suspicions before tends to thicken the thin line a bit in that case though...
I can understand what you mean here. Looks like we have similar aproaches to writing. Except of course, that I can't actually rely on "sound" in english, since I have not spoken it for twelve years, and it was at school. :wacko:
Ah, so I'm not the only one who bought that Respighi (sp?) recording at Director's prompting...J. Passepartout said:
“Dear John and Sue,” Hitchcock wrote, then paused. He was sure the letter would be read several times before it reached its intended recipients, and he had no way to know how many of those readers wished him ill, no way to know if among those readers would be Joe or Frank. Best to pick his words carefully.
“The campaign goes well. Kastamon province is largely under our control; we had one sharp engagement with the Turks once we got into the mountains but they were completely routed without much loss on our side. With Izmit’s surrender, Konya followed suit and General Paulos has invested Adana. The troops from Izmit I sent to Angora, so the entire eastern part of Asia Minor lies under our armies now.
“The Turks seem stunned. Just as the loss of the Imperial army at Manzikert allowed the Turks to roll across Asia Minor centuries ago, the defeats they have suffered this time have demoralized and paralyzed them. We are not to the point that supply convoys can travel unescorted, but the petty lords and city folk are quiet – almost resigned to the return of Imperial rule.
“I appreciate your passing along that intelligence concerning the Knights. If they have indeed made peace with the Turks it may give the Turks space and time to raise a new army. Conversely it will free the Levant for our operations; we’ll have no worry of what to do if we encounter roving bands of Knights who are neither allies nor enemies.
“I hope and trust all goes well in the City. Rumors of the Heart of the Dragon largely disappeared as we marched east; so, too, did the Sultan and the Grand Vizier vanish from the army before Kastamon and I cannot but think the two events are related. Count Vlad may have some information sources in the Levant from his days as a merchant prince; do please make inquiries. So long as the Sultan and the Vizier are at large the Turks may rally. A resurgence of interest in the dragon’s heart may well point us to the missing Sultan and Vizier, as I am sure you have already realized.
“The Sultan’s mother and her shadow court were captured on the road to Kastamon, and I have sent them back to the City under escort. Other letters will apprise His Majesty, the Chancellor and Count Vlad of their impending arrival. I encourage you to make her acquaintance as she is bitterly angry with her son (and the Vizier) and may provide some useful information to you from negligence, or from spite.
“Do give the abbot my best wishes. Should you have any information to pass along, my headquarters will be before Kastamon for the summer at least. If I move south to Angora, it will be in the fall, I think.
“Best wishes and good luck to you both; yours sincerely, etc & etc.
He signed and passed it to Joshua for sealing. There was nothing to do now but wait out the siege.
Summer passed and autumn arrived, bringing with it the surrender of Adana. Had the siege run longer or the climate of the Levant been more severe, Hitchcock might have put Paulos’ army in winter quarters. The campaign season was not yet ended, however, and Adana and the little ports along the coast were secure and could provide a secure base of supply. And lastly there was still no sign of an enemy army in the field, so Hitchcock allowed Paulos to march south and east into the Levant. The country there still showed signs of the Knights recent visit, but in the main the Knights had been raiding rather than pillaging in a thorough way and Paulos’ army had no difficulty establishing itself around the old walls of Aleppo.
At Imperial request, Hitchcock returned to the City for the winter and found affairs there much changed. The young Emperor had been asserting himself more in politics, and if the Chancellor and Warmaster did not say much Hitchcock could read a lot into what was left unsaid. For generations the Basarabs had favored merchants and boyars over the nobles of the comitu rank, balancing the power of the great lords with a rich and influential middle class. Young Mihnea had made concessions to the comitu without receiving much in return, and in the process had alienated some of those who traditionally supported the throne. Worse, the war was squeezing merchants, lords and townfolk alike; the army and navy were not being much increased, but ordinary losses had to be made up and the cost of maintaining the armies in the field had not declined. Such new troops as were now being trained were widely rumored to be headed for Jerusalem in the spring; Hitchcock knew their real destination was Africa, and was not sorry to be left out of that campaign.
December came and went with more winter festivals and saints days than usual; Mihnea had approved of the Chancellor’s plan to spread a little gold from the Imperial purse and the people of the City were merry as a result. As the war looked to enter its third year, public confidence and overseas trade were recovering, and in the courts of Europe sentiment seemed to be turning in favor of the Empire. The Pope had issued letters denouncing any Imperial occupation of Jerusalem, but the temporal heads of state either quietly encouraged the destruction of the Ottoman state, or kept silent. Whether they intended the Empire to gain those lands for itself was a question still unanswered.
In February, the home fleet embarked the new army and sailed away to Africa. In May, a peace commission arrived bearing a proposal ostensibly from the Vizier, offering to surrender Konya and Adana for peace. The Emperor refused to grant them an appearance at court, and the Chancellor declined to entertain their proposal.
In between those two dates, in March, the Emperor announced a vast new public work: the construction of a cathedral to rival in splendor the largest cathedral on earth, the Church of the Holy Wisdom of God itself, the Hagia Sophia. The necessary loans were easy enough to find; the City had long been a haven for bankers of Christian, Orthodox and Jewish faiths alike, and Imperial credit was sound. Ground on which to site the new church, however, was difficult to come by in the tightly-packed precincts of the City. One promising location – literally facing the Hagia Sophia – was eliminated because the great Basilica cistern lay directly underneath and there was grave concern the weight of the building would collapse the pilings. At last the decision was made to move the last of the gunpowder works out of the City proper, demolish the remains of the old Bucoleon Palace and build a cathedral of western style by the waters of the Sea of Marmara. Architects came from as far away as France and Germany bearing sketches, testimonials and claims of having worked on great churches and royal palaces. An Imperial committee was set up to winnow through the plans and interview the master masons; in ordinary fashion years might pass before any decision was reached, but the Emperor was insistent that construction be pushed ahead with all possible speed so at least a part of the new church could be available for victory celebrations when the Turks were completely vanquished.
Hitchcock doubted the wisdom of beginning such a work in wartime, but on reflection decided that most cathedrals were probably begun and worked on in time of war. More troubling was the popular name for the great structure, already making the rounds of the taverns and meeting-halls. No official name had yet been chosen, but in keeping with the heritage of the Basarab dynasty the people were calling it the Church of the Sons of the Dragon…
The Cathedral Draculaesti.
“The campaign goes well. Kastamon province is largely under our control; we had one sharp engagement with the Turks once we got into the mountains but they were completely routed without much loss on our side. With Izmit’s surrender, Konya followed suit and General Paulos has invested Adana. The troops from Izmit I sent to Angora, so the entire eastern part of Asia Minor lies under our armies now.
“The Turks seem stunned. Just as the loss of the Imperial army at Manzikert allowed the Turks to roll across Asia Minor centuries ago, the defeats they have suffered this time have demoralized and paralyzed them. We are not to the point that supply convoys can travel unescorted, but the petty lords and city folk are quiet – almost resigned to the return of Imperial rule.
“I appreciate your passing along that intelligence concerning the Knights. If they have indeed made peace with the Turks it may give the Turks space and time to raise a new army. Conversely it will free the Levant for our operations; we’ll have no worry of what to do if we encounter roving bands of Knights who are neither allies nor enemies.
“I hope and trust all goes well in the City. Rumors of the Heart of the Dragon largely disappeared as we marched east; so, too, did the Sultan and the Grand Vizier vanish from the army before Kastamon and I cannot but think the two events are related. Count Vlad may have some information sources in the Levant from his days as a merchant prince; do please make inquiries. So long as the Sultan and the Vizier are at large the Turks may rally. A resurgence of interest in the dragon’s heart may well point us to the missing Sultan and Vizier, as I am sure you have already realized.
“The Sultan’s mother and her shadow court were captured on the road to Kastamon, and I have sent them back to the City under escort. Other letters will apprise His Majesty, the Chancellor and Count Vlad of their impending arrival. I encourage you to make her acquaintance as she is bitterly angry with her son (and the Vizier) and may provide some useful information to you from negligence, or from spite.
“Do give the abbot my best wishes. Should you have any information to pass along, my headquarters will be before Kastamon for the summer at least. If I move south to Angora, it will be in the fall, I think.
“Best wishes and good luck to you both; yours sincerely, etc & etc.
He signed and passed it to Joshua for sealing. There was nothing to do now but wait out the siege.
Summer passed and autumn arrived, bringing with it the surrender of Adana. Had the siege run longer or the climate of the Levant been more severe, Hitchcock might have put Paulos’ army in winter quarters. The campaign season was not yet ended, however, and Adana and the little ports along the coast were secure and could provide a secure base of supply. And lastly there was still no sign of an enemy army in the field, so Hitchcock allowed Paulos to march south and east into the Levant. The country there still showed signs of the Knights recent visit, but in the main the Knights had been raiding rather than pillaging in a thorough way and Paulos’ army had no difficulty establishing itself around the old walls of Aleppo.
At Imperial request, Hitchcock returned to the City for the winter and found affairs there much changed. The young Emperor had been asserting himself more in politics, and if the Chancellor and Warmaster did not say much Hitchcock could read a lot into what was left unsaid. For generations the Basarabs had favored merchants and boyars over the nobles of the comitu rank, balancing the power of the great lords with a rich and influential middle class. Young Mihnea had made concessions to the comitu without receiving much in return, and in the process had alienated some of those who traditionally supported the throne. Worse, the war was squeezing merchants, lords and townfolk alike; the army and navy were not being much increased, but ordinary losses had to be made up and the cost of maintaining the armies in the field had not declined. Such new troops as were now being trained were widely rumored to be headed for Jerusalem in the spring; Hitchcock knew their real destination was Africa, and was not sorry to be left out of that campaign.
December came and went with more winter festivals and saints days than usual; Mihnea had approved of the Chancellor’s plan to spread a little gold from the Imperial purse and the people of the City were merry as a result. As the war looked to enter its third year, public confidence and overseas trade were recovering, and in the courts of Europe sentiment seemed to be turning in favor of the Empire. The Pope had issued letters denouncing any Imperial occupation of Jerusalem, but the temporal heads of state either quietly encouraged the destruction of the Ottoman state, or kept silent. Whether they intended the Empire to gain those lands for itself was a question still unanswered.
In February, the home fleet embarked the new army and sailed away to Africa. In May, a peace commission arrived bearing a proposal ostensibly from the Vizier, offering to surrender Konya and Adana for peace. The Emperor refused to grant them an appearance at court, and the Chancellor declined to entertain their proposal.
In between those two dates, in March, the Emperor announced a vast new public work: the construction of a cathedral to rival in splendor the largest cathedral on earth, the Church of the Holy Wisdom of God itself, the Hagia Sophia. The necessary loans were easy enough to find; the City had long been a haven for bankers of Christian, Orthodox and Jewish faiths alike, and Imperial credit was sound. Ground on which to site the new church, however, was difficult to come by in the tightly-packed precincts of the City. One promising location – literally facing the Hagia Sophia – was eliminated because the great Basilica cistern lay directly underneath and there was grave concern the weight of the building would collapse the pilings. At last the decision was made to move the last of the gunpowder works out of the City proper, demolish the remains of the old Bucoleon Palace and build a cathedral of western style by the waters of the Sea of Marmara. Architects came from as far away as France and Germany bearing sketches, testimonials and claims of having worked on great churches and royal palaces. An Imperial committee was set up to winnow through the plans and interview the master masons; in ordinary fashion years might pass before any decision was reached, but the Emperor was insistent that construction be pushed ahead with all possible speed so at least a part of the new church could be available for victory celebrations when the Turks were completely vanquished.
Hitchcock doubted the wisdom of beginning such a work in wartime, but on reflection decided that most cathedrals were probably begun and worked on in time of war. More troubling was the popular name for the great structure, already making the rounds of the taverns and meeting-halls. No official name had yet been chosen, but in keeping with the heritage of the Basarab dynasty the people were calling it the Church of the Sons of the Dragon…
The Cathedral Draculaesti.
Looks like you have decided to speed up the tale by reporting events rather than relating them. That's consistant with Hitch's winter quarters.
I'm curious to discover what the Sultan's mother looks like and what she might have to tell Sue and John. Does she have scales and spit fire?
I'm curious to discover what the Sultan's mother looks like and what she might have to tell Sue and John. Does she have scales and spit fire?
I would call that a miracle!
That is an ominous name, sure enough. I wonder at whose influence this cathedral is being built, and whether its purpose falls more along the lines of a trap than a place of worship.
Based on that peace proposal it could take many years before a serious offer is received. There will be no shortage of volunteers for the work.
I am puzzled as to who will be the true master of the cathedral.
I am puzzled as to who will be the true master of the cathedral.
The Cathedral Draculaesti.
You aren’t perhaps creating a venue for the Heart of the Dragon are you?
Joe
You aren’t perhaps creating a venue for the Heart of the Dragon are you?
Joe
I wonder if the 'Heart of the Dragon' is going to require the assembly of several different pieces: the Sultan's mother, the new cathedral (something's gotta happen there, considering its highly significant name), possibly a work of art or a medallion like the abbot Friedrich suggested... Maybe ALL these things need to be gathered together for the 'Heart of the Dragon' to become apparent.
Imperial troops in Africa, Aleppo, maybe even Jerusalem! It's been many centuries since the Romans were last able to do all that. A good sign for your Empire, for sure.
One quick question: since you described the Hagia Sophia as the world's largest church, does that mean that St. Peter in Rome has not been completed yet? My knowledge of that cathedral is pretty limited, but I thought it was completed somewhere in the 16th century. I could be very wrong, though.
Imperial troops in Africa, Aleppo, maybe even Jerusalem! It's been many centuries since the Romans were last able to do all that. A good sign for your Empire, for sure.
One quick question: since you described the Hagia Sophia as the world's largest church, does that mean that St. Peter in Rome has not been completed yet? My knowledge of that cathedral is pretty limited, but I thought it was completed somewhere in the 16th century. I could be very wrong, though.
Nil-The-Frogg - I did some research on the Sultan and his mother but it was months ago. The main things I remember are: the sequence of weak Sultans (kept weak and spoiled by Grand Viziers who held the real power), the power wielded by the mother during her husband's reign and her son's early years, the mother's hatred for the Grand Vizier; the Grand Vizier being very capable if a bit too tricky for his own good.
An average, normal happy family just like yours and mine. Well, mine.
stnylan - truth is I got the cathedral event and needed the stability bonus. I had to take a loan, but that was easily paid off. The official name will probably be much nicer.
Chief Ragusa - it will indeed take YEARS for peace to arrive, but not for the reason you think.
Storey - Hi Joe! It's good to hear from you! Something about the name 'Cathedral Draculaesti' makes my skin crawl, so that's why I used it.
This story is crawling with dragons. Man, when I started, I had NO IDEA there were so many different dragons, from ancient knightly orders to a Pope!
Stuyvesant - the heart of the dragon is obvious. It is hidden in plain sight. It has been referred to in this story, and more than once.
I don't think I'm giving away anything to say that eventually I'll get all the Ottoman territories (except the capital, but I whacked it five years after peace and then waited a few generations for my BB to recede). That makes the Empire the biggest player in the East, but I should stress that Orthodox research rate means lower tech, and multiple cultures and religions make for less money and LONG times needed to recover stability.
The research I did on the subject indicated the Hagia Sophia was the largest cathedral until the recent construction in Seville. I think it's dome was surpassed but perhaps not its interior volume? I really don't know. I will say from the viewpoint of anyone in the Empire, the Hagia Sophia would be the standard by which all others would be judged. According to Wiki:
Given the Imperial desire to see it finished, I suspect a simple solid design will be run up quickly, and a design that emphasizes stained glass windows. Wiki says the Hagia Sophia was burned down in 532 and rededicated in 537, so I suppose rapid construction is possible with final fitting-out taking years more.
Also, this new cathedral is not meant to be a rival to the Hagia Sophia in size, but rather a large, beautiful church - light and airy and walled in glass - in its own right.
An average, normal happy family just like yours and mine. Well, mine.
stnylan - truth is I got the cathedral event and needed the stability bonus. I had to take a loan, but that was easily paid off. The official name will probably be much nicer.
Chief Ragusa - it will indeed take YEARS for peace to arrive, but not for the reason you think.
Storey - Hi Joe! It's good to hear from you! Something about the name 'Cathedral Draculaesti' makes my skin crawl, so that's why I used it.
This story is crawling with dragons. Man, when I started, I had NO IDEA there were so many different dragons, from ancient knightly orders to a Pope!
Stuyvesant - the heart of the dragon is obvious. It is hidden in plain sight. It has been referred to in this story, and more than once.
I don't think I'm giving away anything to say that eventually I'll get all the Ottoman territories (except the capital, but I whacked it five years after peace and then waited a few generations for my BB to recede). That makes the Empire the biggest player in the East, but I should stress that Orthodox research rate means lower tech, and multiple cultures and religions make for less money and LONG times needed to recover stability.
The research I did on the subject indicated the Hagia Sophia was the largest cathedral until the recent construction in Seville. I think it's dome was surpassed but perhaps not its interior volume? I really don't know. I will say from the viewpoint of anyone in the Empire, the Hagia Sophia would be the standard by which all others would be judged. According to Wiki:
The new cathedral could be western in a buttressed style with enormous stained-glass windows; given Imperial prowess in glasswork, the windows & fittings should be spectacular. Three very different churches from this period: St Peters in Rome (as you note), St Basil's in Moscow and the last stages of Tours.
Given the Imperial desire to see it finished, I suspect a simple solid design will be run up quickly, and a design that emphasizes stained glass windows. Wiki says the Hagia Sophia was burned down in 532 and rededicated in 537, so I suppose rapid construction is possible with final fitting-out taking years more.
Also, this new cathedral is not meant to be a rival to the Hagia Sophia in size, but rather a large, beautiful church - light and airy and walled in glass - in its own right.
You have mentioned a fair number of dragons in your story, working out which is the real heart of the dragon is not so easy for me. Hidden in plain sight. Urrgh. Re-read all the updates time
In game cathedrals go up much faster than in real life. These are the 1580s and it's not like we're back in the Middle Ages.
I figured you wanted all ottoman provinces except the capital in this peace and it takes a while for sieges to be successful.
In game cathedrals go up much faster than in real life. These are the 1580s and it's not like we're back in the Middle Ages.
I figured you wanted all ottoman provinces except the capital in this peace and it takes a while for sieges to be successful.
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Draculaesti is a very cool name. Probably the church will wants to get a new name and discourage this one based on possible Satanic undertones.
Stuyvesant, good stuff, isn't it?
Stuyvesant, good stuff, isn't it?
Director said:
I think I can speak for everyone when I say.
Don't you just hate it when the author says this? I mean its bad enough to be floundering around trying to dig through the red herrings, dead ends, double back flips of the intertwining mishmash of Frank and Joe’s world and the real world without Director sitting there pecking at the keyboard one finger at a time, face inches from the VDT screen, sweat beading on a forehead that would do a Cro Magnon proud, framed by a receding hairline, with an innocent expression on his face while typing “the heart of the dragon is obvious.” Yea I’ll give you obvious. Your mother wears combat boots. And you know what? I know what the heart of the dragon is I just don’t want to tell you. Yea that’s it I just can’t be bothered to tell you. Besides I can’t really say what it is because it would spoil it for everyone else. Yea that’s it I’m being considerate of everyone’s enjoyment at finding out the answer themselves. Damn I didn’t know I was this nice. When the hell did this happen? Getting old sucks.
Joe
Cathedral Draculaesti...sinister indeed. No doubt the ancient catacombs below will be teeming with vampires after its completion.
I don't know for your overall statement, but I know that you're right here! And I'm only running toward my thirties, go figure... :wacko:Storey said:
cthulhu said:Cathedral Draculaesti...sinister indeed. No doubt the ancient catacombs below will be teeming with vampires after its completion.
Would explain the speed of construction of the night shift.
The modern dragon, China, wants the codes from History Park. These codes are concealed somehere within the game. The knight who slew the dragon was George in Georgia. Access to the codes is through one of the doors in the "original" count vlad's tunnels and is effected via the Heart of the Dragon. The entrance in this period of game history is , I presume, in Georgia where the epic battle took place. Hitch is George in game. The glass maker can tell the location of that struggle.
The Emperor may be regarded as the Heart of the Dragon and wears a medallion around his neck as a symbol of his office, The party need confirmation that the medallion was picked up by Vlad during his stay in Turkey. Frank must be sure that he has the right set of codes so that he'll uplink them too the modern dragon. We know, from Frank, that Joe likes to set long-winded hunts for the clues to his protections and that, according to Frank, Frank always solves. Frank and the party have to believe that the true codes are being uploaded.
I think that a virus will be uploaded. After the modern dragfon have recovered from that they will find that they have frank -an additional security protocol, created by Joe - rampaging through their system should thay try cyberespionnage again.
That was a nice foreshadow to end that last update, Director. And a ominous name, indeed.
I think it worked well to move the action along at the moment so we can quickly keep moving towards finding the Heart of the Dragon and thwarting Frank. Besides, the war sounds as if it is winding down.
I think it worked well to move the action along at the moment so we can quickly keep moving towards finding the Heart of the Dragon and thwarting Frank. Besides, the war sounds as if it is winding down.
Gulliver’s Travels – Jonathan Swift
Kevin fidgeted and fiddled, but could think of nothing better to do than check the monitors and security programs, grab a soda from the fridge in the ready room, and settle back down to play. Even gaming wasn’t much of a distraction; Hitchcock’s in-game character was shuffling armies around in central Asia Minor, leaving Kevin with little to do but watch. Kastamon capitulated after a mere six months of siege, a clear sign the Ottoman will was broken. That victorious army was being broken up, some left behind in Anatolia to stand guard against rebels and bandits and the remainder loaded onto transports. Once at sea they made the circuit of the peninsula, coming ashore on the beaches of Lebanon.
In September, Taurus converted to the Ottoman faith without a struggle. The following month, a peace commission arrived, offering Konya, Kastaman and Adana. Kevin reasoned the AI must believe the Ottoman fortunes were about to take an even more serious fall, and so declined. Sure enough, Aleppo and Quattara capitulated in January and Lebanon threw in the towel in March. With that, all Ottoman territory was occupied, and another peace commission appeared, offering everything except Angora and, of course, Anatolia. Kevin refused, sending his own hard message: surrender all territory and the Sultan will be allowed to reign in Anatolia for his lifetime, that land to pass into the Empire with his death.
To his astonishment, the Turks refused.
“Either the Turks know something we do not, or they believe they know something which we know to be false.” The Chancellor’s summation was exquisite but unhelpful as a practical matter.
“We occupy their lands. The Sultan and Grand Vizier have fled, surely – at least, there is no report of them our agents have heard.” Hitchcock looked sideways at the Lees, who nodded.
“That is the key, I believe. Or keys.” Vlad’s mouth twisted in what might be a smile. “We have the Sultan’s mother and half his court officials securely imprisoned here. We have no report from traders or foreign powers of the Sultan or Vizier going into exile with the Ak Koyunlu, Persia, the Hedjaz… They seem to have vanished. Perhaps a djinni scooped them up!”
Hitchcock squirmed on the seat; the cushions were comfortable enough but riddles always made him fidget. “I don’t see where they could… oh. Oh!”
Vlad rapped on the table, rings clicking against the hard wood. “Out with it, man!”
Hitchcock turned to the figure at the foot of the table. He was easily overlooked; he was small of stature, habitually wore sober, dark clothing and rarely spoke unless he had something specific to say. “Milord Admiral, were those galleys all accounted for?”
The admiral tapped a pipe against the table; it was empty, as one did not smoke in the Imperial presence. Not that the Emperor was present today but you never knew when he might come in… Hitchcock forced his thoughts back to the question at hand. “Well, yes, milord general. We chased them right out of the Sea of Marmara, every last one. No doubt you found the remnants in the Levant, eh?”
“No,” Hitchcock said carefully, “no, we did not find any galleys.”
“But the Grand Vizier and the Sultan were seen before Kastamon!” the Chancellor protested. “That’s hundreds of miles from the Mediterranean! And even if they did flee to the coast, how would those galleys know where to put in to pick them up!”
Hitchcock traced out some movements on the map on the table, then nodded. “With our siege operations in full swing, the best port left open would have been Iskenderun – here. The Vizier and Sultan would have hoped to get east and south of our armies, to rally a new army in the Levant, perhaps, or seek aid from Persia or the Mamelukes. Instead, we put the army ashore in Lebanon and cut them off. And there were the galleys – in Iskenderun.”
“Miserable things!” Vlad spat, and the admiral nodded vigorously; “Hard to kill as rats,” he said. “Admiral, what is the disposition of our naval forces?”
“We’ve divided the fleet into two parts again, Warmaster. The largest part of the war vessels are based on Crete again, and the rest of them – plus the transports – here in the City.”
“Send a fast cutter to Crete, and put the home fleet to sea as quickly as you can. Order the Cretan squadron to sail down the Levant to Alexandria, and the home fleet to cruise east along the coast of Antalya and Taurus to Aleppo. Someone has to have seen them!”
John Lee spoke up. “There’s a trader in the harbor flying the cross of the Knights – I’ll chat up the captain and see if he’s heard anything.”
Hitchcock raised a hand in warning. “Before we develop too much enthusiasm for this supposition, let us remember there may be nothing to it. They may be hiding in the mountains, or have already taken refuge with a foreign power.”
Vlad nodded, then shook his head. “You are correct, General. We must not concentrate on one possibility and let them escape another way. We must search everywhere and every way we can… but I will be very much surprised if your supposition is not correct. Our Vizier is not a man to skulk in the shadows; he has not yet given up all hope. And the Sultan – he is accustomed to more luxury than a pack mule can provide. If they could get to those galleys, they would take them.”
Sue whispered in John’s ear. He waited for the Warmaster to finish, then posed her question for her. “Milords, if I might ask, is capturing these men so crucial? Whether they go into hiding or into exile, we possess their lands. They will have no treasury, no army. A foreign king would see them as a joke rather than a weapon, surely?”
Vlad shook his head slowly and with decision. “So long as they camp in a foreign court there is always the chance a king will give them funds, not in expectation of their success but merely to harass and devil us.”
“And if they die unknown in a ditch the outlook is no better,” the Chancellor said. “Then we’d have a fraud or two each year for decades, claiming to be the rightful ruler and preaching jihad.”
“That’s the other thing, milord, milady,” the Admiral chimed in. “The Sultan isn’t just the secular leader of the government, he is the Caliph of Islam – more powerful than a Pope or a Patriarch.”
John and Sue nodded, a little wide-eyed. “Of course milords. Your pardon – no disrespect meant.”
“And none taken,” Vlad said. “Admiral, will you meet with us again in the morning?”
He tapped his pipe against the table again and stood. “No, milord, begging your pardon. It’s not yet noon. I’ll have ships away on the morning breeze, and I’ll be aboard.”
“Would you have room for a few more, Admiral?” Hitchcock motioned at himself and the Lees. “Certainly, milord, the three of you and perhaps a servant apiece? Won’t be a luxury cruise, I fear, but I’d be pleased to have you and your party.”
And with that, the meeting adjourned.
Kevin fidgeted and fiddled, but could think of nothing better to do than check the monitors and security programs, grab a soda from the fridge in the ready room, and settle back down to play. Even gaming wasn’t much of a distraction; Hitchcock’s in-game character was shuffling armies around in central Asia Minor, leaving Kevin with little to do but watch. Kastamon capitulated after a mere six months of siege, a clear sign the Ottoman will was broken. That victorious army was being broken up, some left behind in Anatolia to stand guard against rebels and bandits and the remainder loaded onto transports. Once at sea they made the circuit of the peninsula, coming ashore on the beaches of Lebanon.
In September, Taurus converted to the Ottoman faith without a struggle. The following month, a peace commission arrived, offering Konya, Kastaman and Adana. Kevin reasoned the AI must believe the Ottoman fortunes were about to take an even more serious fall, and so declined. Sure enough, Aleppo and Quattara capitulated in January and Lebanon threw in the towel in March. With that, all Ottoman territory was occupied, and another peace commission appeared, offering everything except Angora and, of course, Anatolia. Kevin refused, sending his own hard message: surrender all territory and the Sultan will be allowed to reign in Anatolia for his lifetime, that land to pass into the Empire with his death.
To his astonishment, the Turks refused.
“Either the Turks know something we do not, or they believe they know something which we know to be false.” The Chancellor’s summation was exquisite but unhelpful as a practical matter.
“We occupy their lands. The Sultan and Grand Vizier have fled, surely – at least, there is no report of them our agents have heard.” Hitchcock looked sideways at the Lees, who nodded.
“That is the key, I believe. Or keys.” Vlad’s mouth twisted in what might be a smile. “We have the Sultan’s mother and half his court officials securely imprisoned here. We have no report from traders or foreign powers of the Sultan or Vizier going into exile with the Ak Koyunlu, Persia, the Hedjaz… They seem to have vanished. Perhaps a djinni scooped them up!”
Hitchcock squirmed on the seat; the cushions were comfortable enough but riddles always made him fidget. “I don’t see where they could… oh. Oh!”
Vlad rapped on the table, rings clicking against the hard wood. “Out with it, man!”
Hitchcock turned to the figure at the foot of the table. He was easily overlooked; he was small of stature, habitually wore sober, dark clothing and rarely spoke unless he had something specific to say. “Milord Admiral, were those galleys all accounted for?”
The admiral tapped a pipe against the table; it was empty, as one did not smoke in the Imperial presence. Not that the Emperor was present today but you never knew when he might come in… Hitchcock forced his thoughts back to the question at hand. “Well, yes, milord general. We chased them right out of the Sea of Marmara, every last one. No doubt you found the remnants in the Levant, eh?”
“No,” Hitchcock said carefully, “no, we did not find any galleys.”
“But the Grand Vizier and the Sultan were seen before Kastamon!” the Chancellor protested. “That’s hundreds of miles from the Mediterranean! And even if they did flee to the coast, how would those galleys know where to put in to pick them up!”
Hitchcock traced out some movements on the map on the table, then nodded. “With our siege operations in full swing, the best port left open would have been Iskenderun – here. The Vizier and Sultan would have hoped to get east and south of our armies, to rally a new army in the Levant, perhaps, or seek aid from Persia or the Mamelukes. Instead, we put the army ashore in Lebanon and cut them off. And there were the galleys – in Iskenderun.”
“Miserable things!” Vlad spat, and the admiral nodded vigorously; “Hard to kill as rats,” he said. “Admiral, what is the disposition of our naval forces?”
“We’ve divided the fleet into two parts again, Warmaster. The largest part of the war vessels are based on Crete again, and the rest of them – plus the transports – here in the City.”
“Send a fast cutter to Crete, and put the home fleet to sea as quickly as you can. Order the Cretan squadron to sail down the Levant to Alexandria, and the home fleet to cruise east along the coast of Antalya and Taurus to Aleppo. Someone has to have seen them!”
John Lee spoke up. “There’s a trader in the harbor flying the cross of the Knights – I’ll chat up the captain and see if he’s heard anything.”
Hitchcock raised a hand in warning. “Before we develop too much enthusiasm for this supposition, let us remember there may be nothing to it. They may be hiding in the mountains, or have already taken refuge with a foreign power.”
Vlad nodded, then shook his head. “You are correct, General. We must not concentrate on one possibility and let them escape another way. We must search everywhere and every way we can… but I will be very much surprised if your supposition is not correct. Our Vizier is not a man to skulk in the shadows; he has not yet given up all hope. And the Sultan – he is accustomed to more luxury than a pack mule can provide. If they could get to those galleys, they would take them.”
Sue whispered in John’s ear. He waited for the Warmaster to finish, then posed her question for her. “Milords, if I might ask, is capturing these men so crucial? Whether they go into hiding or into exile, we possess their lands. They will have no treasury, no army. A foreign king would see them as a joke rather than a weapon, surely?”
Vlad shook his head slowly and with decision. “So long as they camp in a foreign court there is always the chance a king will give them funds, not in expectation of their success but merely to harass and devil us.”
“And if they die unknown in a ditch the outlook is no better,” the Chancellor said. “Then we’d have a fraud or two each year for decades, claiming to be the rightful ruler and preaching jihad.”
“That’s the other thing, milord, milady,” the Admiral chimed in. “The Sultan isn’t just the secular leader of the government, he is the Caliph of Islam – more powerful than a Pope or a Patriarch.”
John and Sue nodded, a little wide-eyed. “Of course milords. Your pardon – no disrespect meant.”
“And none taken,” Vlad said. “Admiral, will you meet with us again in the morning?”
He tapped his pipe against the table again and stood. “No, milord, begging your pardon. It’s not yet noon. I’ll have ships away on the morning breeze, and I’ll be aboard.”
“Would you have room for a few more, Admiral?” Hitchcock motioned at himself and the Lees. “Certainly, milord, the three of you and perhaps a servant apiece? Won’t be a luxury cruise, I fear, but I’d be pleased to have you and your party.”
And with that, the meeting adjourned.
Chief Ragusa - I think the Emperor will not get his cathedral as quickly as he wants, but it will go up faster than the medieval cathedrals.
Yes, having caught the Ottomans at a weak point I'm determined to finish them. "Never do a strong man an injury," you know - either let him alone, or kill him.
As for your second post:
J. Passepartout - I'm sure the Patriarch will pick something more suitable - St Paul's perhaps, or St Basil's.
I should point out that the name 'Dracula' doesn't have horrible overtones in the Empire. Vlad Dracula was not the Impaler in this time line.
Stuyvesant is moving into his new home and I fear we may never hear from him again.
Storey - Thank heavens I'm not laying out clues about something tricky like a long-lost jeweled cross!
Seriously, I sympathize and I promise not to let the 'Easter Egg Hunt' go on too long.
cthulhu - sinister sounding to us, but a sincere tribute from the Imperials. Still - it does have a 'ring' to it, doesn't it? Think of how Bela Lugosi would say it - "Zhe Dhrrray Ku Layhstiii - what muhzic zhey make!"
coz1 - Thanks! As you can see we have begun the last book, and 'Frontier' isn't delaying this one (I have several chapters of 'Frontier' still in the can).
The war has ended except the #$)%^@ Turks won't take my peace offer! And I have 100% war score! You guessed it... remember those never-to-be-sufficiently-damned galleys that held up my second army and tossed my war plan in the garbage? YEP! They're STILL out there. Somewhere!
AAAAAAAAAAAGGGGHHHH!
I am calm. I am focused. I will prevail...
AAAAAAAAAAAGGGGHHHH!
Yes, having caught the Ottomans at a weak point I'm determined to finish them. "Never do a strong man an injury," you know - either let him alone, or kill him.
As for your second post:
J. Passepartout - I'm sure the Patriarch will pick something more suitable - St Paul's perhaps, or St Basil's.
I should point out that the name 'Dracula' doesn't have horrible overtones in the Empire. Vlad Dracula was not the Impaler in this time line.
Stuyvesant is moving into his new home and I fear we may never hear from him again.
Storey - Thank heavens I'm not laying out clues about something tricky like a long-lost jeweled cross!
Seriously, I sympathize and I promise not to let the 'Easter Egg Hunt' go on too long.
cthulhu - sinister sounding to us, but a sincere tribute from the Imperials. Still - it does have a 'ring' to it, doesn't it? Think of how Bela Lugosi would say it - "Zhe Dhrrray Ku Layhstiii - what muhzic zhey make!"
coz1 - Thanks! As you can see we have begun the last book, and 'Frontier' isn't delaying this one (I have several chapters of 'Frontier' still in the can).
The war has ended except the #$)%^@ Turks won't take my peace offer! And I have 100% war score! You guessed it... remember those never-to-be-sufficiently-damned galleys that held up my second army and tossed my war plan in the garbage? YEP! They're STILL out there. Somewhere!
AAAAAAAAAAAGGGGHHHH!
I am calm. I am focused. I will prevail...
AAAAAAAAAAAGGGGHHHH!
Chasing around the Med for a small bunch of galleys sounds extremely frustrating.